When the Hermitage Hotel was opened on September 17, 1910 it was the finest hotel Nashville had ever seen. And especially in the first 50 years it was the center of Nashville's society. Everybody who came to Nashville stayed here. Presidents William Taft, Franklin Roosevelt, John F Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, and Richard Nixon. Woodrow Wilson stayed here when he was governor before he ran for president. Many stars of that era and even Al Capone. Probably one of the most colorful characters was Minnesota Fats who had a table here and challenged all who dared. He moved in in 1985 and lived there for 8 years.

But the Hermitage Hotel was the center of one of the most important events in America's political history. The War of the Roses.

In 1919 Congress finally after 71 years passed the 19th Amendment to the Constitution which if ratified by 36 states would give Woman the right to vote. By August of 1920 35 states had ratified it and several had rejected it. August was the month Tennessee took the debate up in the State Legislature. If it passed Woman could vote. If it failed it was believed that most of the other states would follow and the Amendment would be dead. The Womans movements for and against both set up headquarters in the Hermitage as well as many of the out of town Representatives (the State Senate had already passed it). Those for wore yellow roses and those against wore red roses. After weeks of bitter campaigning it came down to August 18. There had already been 2 votes, both ended with 48 for and 48 against. A third vote came up and this time Henry Burn (the youngest legislator up to that time) while wearing a red rose became the vote that ratified the 19th Amendment. Seems his mother had sent him a telegram and you always do what Mom says.

The coordinates take you across the street from the hotel where you can get a great view of the one of a kind architecture. Take a walk inside and look at the restored lobby. Notice the letter on the cieling of the main lobby where the check-in desk is. The password is how many of that letter there is. Use the written word not the number.

We were passing through Nashville today and just had to stop by to grab this OC. This is a very impressive place---perhaps we'll get to stay there one day. Thanks for introducing us to this cool hotel!